2021 Photo Contest – Flora

"Green Eyed Susan" by Colleen McDonald

Image ID: 6272
Plant(s): Black-eyed Susan
Photo Story: I took this photo in early spring, when the flowerering buds on my Black-Eyed Susan were green.
Equipment: T-Mobile smart phone

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"Sunny Skies" by Colleen McDonald

Image ID: 6273
Plant(s): Prairie Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)
Photo Story: After dropping my grandson off at day camp, I pulled off the road to snap these sunflowers in a field.
Equipment: T-Mobile Smart Phone

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"Gorgeous Combination" by Neal Bringe

Image ID: 6280
Plant(s): Nebraska Lupine (Lupinus plattensis) and Prairie Milkvetch (Astragalus laxmannii (A. adsurgens var. robustior)).
Photo Story: I walked through our field June 28th (2021) and noticed this gorgeous combination of wildflowers. Both the lupine and milkvetch were more common this year. A gift to share.
Equipment: Cannon PowerShot SX 70 HS

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"Fireworks" by Meredith Wellman

Image ID: 6290
Plant(s): Cheyenne Spirit Echinacea, known as Coneflower
Photo Story: My husband planted a big area in our front yard with coneflowers of all different colors after digging out invasive burning bushes planted by the prior owner. They really brighten up the neighborhood, and are a safe haven for pollinators amidst all of the chemlawns surrounding our property! These Cheyenne Spirit Coneflowers create a nice ombre-effect with their purple neighbors.
Equipment: Samsung Galaxy Phone

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"Milkweed" by Darcy Berg

Image ID: 6294
Plant(s): Asclepias syriaca, Common Milkweed
Photo Story: This image is of one my favorite plants. It is my favorite because it is habitat for the Monarch Butterfly and it smells good.
Equipment: Nikon d800, Nikor Lens 70-200

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"Beautiful Colorado Columbine" by Neal Bringe

Image ID: 6320
Plant(s): Colorado Columbine (Aquilegia caerulea)
Photo Story: My wife and I decided to do a day hike on the Herman Gulch trail. It was our first time on the trail. When we reached the high meadows, we were amazed at the pristine quality of the Columbine and the blend of rich colors. We have never seen any Columbine like these. So happy to share the photograph that captures what we saw with the majestic mountains in the background.
Equipment: Canon PowerShot SX70 HS

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"After the Storm" by Rita Hennessy

Image ID: 6421
Plant(s): Wild Bergamot, Monarda
Photo Story: Taken after a thunderstorm
Equipment: iPhone 12 Pro

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"Solomon's Seal in a Late Snow" by Jasmine Dorn

Image ID: 6430
Plant(s): Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum)
Photo Story: Spring was springing, and the Solomon's Seal was in bloom. A late snowstorm started up at sunrise and was melted by sundown. I snapped this photo somewhere in between.
Equipment: Phone (Pixel 4xl)

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"Steve-Schmidt_CardinalFlower_2021" by Steve Schmidt

Image ID: 6495
Plant(s): Cardinal Flower / Lobelia cardinalis
Photo Story: One of my favorite natives is the cardinal flower. Until recently, I never noticed them in the wild until I planted some in my native garden and really grew to learning more about them. Now, I spot them in more often!
Equipment: Nikon D7200 / MicroNikkor 60mm

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"Steve-Schmidt-Spring Beauty-2021" by Steve Schmidt

Image ID: 6496
Plant(s): Spring Beauty / Claytonia virginica
Photo Story: When I first started taking photos of wildflowers, I went to one of my favorite forest preserves near where I live. I discovered this beautiful spring flower close to the ground, and ended up with a nice shot; that was twenty years ago. This past year, during COVID restrictions, I had to go and find this plant again and relive the moment. I quickly came across one and took this shot.
Equipment: Nikon D7200 / Nikkor 70-300 f/4.5

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"Blackeyed Susans and Joe Pie" by Linda Nett-Duesterhoeft

Image ID: 6500
Plant(s): Black Eyed Susans and Joe Pie in background
Photo Story: This photo was taken when hiking in August 2020, through the prairie at Mosquito Hill Nature Center, outside of New London, Wi.
Equipment: IPhone X

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"Forest Bell" by Debra Burnham

Image ID: 6510
Plant(s): Campanulastrum americanum | Tall American Bellflower
Photo Story: Traveled from my home in Defiance, MO for a day trip to the Arcadia, MO area. The wildflowers were plentiful in several of the State parks that my husband, mother, and I visited.
Equipment: Nikon D3300 with Tamron lens

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"Yellow Pinwheel" by Arlene Kjar

Image ID: 6511
Plant(s): Wood Poppy Stylophorum diphyllum
Photo Story: I thought this was a non native poppy and was surprised to have it identified as a native to our area. I was very happy about this for I think it is really beautiful and has such interesting leaves. It reminds me of a pinwheel the way the petals look like they are spinning.
Equipment: Kodak EasyShare Z1015 IS

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"Prairie Smoke" by Joseph Eichers

Image ID: 6532
Plant(s): Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)
Photo Story: Exploring the area around Urban Ecology Center Milwaukee
Equipment: Canon SL1 Sigma 105mm Macro

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"Spiderwort" by Joseph Eichers

Image ID: 6533
Plant(s): Tradescantia virginiana Common Spiderwort
Photo Story: Hiking Forest Beach Migratory Preserve - Port Washington
Equipment: Canon 6D lens Canon 24-105mm

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"Brad-Sabre-whitewaterlilly-2022.jpg" by Brad Sabre

Image ID: 6541
Plant(s): White Water Lilly
Photo Story: Walking along the shoreline early morning. The lake was glass smooth. I noticed this reflection.
Equipment: iPhone 12 Pro

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"Spring Encounter" by Mel Luna

Image ID: 6545
Plant(s): Blue Cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides.
Photo Story: While out enjoying the native spring wildflowers along a stretch of the Kal-Haven trail dotted with interpretive signs, I was alerted to the presence of a plant I was familiar with by name but had never met before.
Equipment: iphone7

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"All Wrapped Up" by Mel Luna

Image ID: 6546
Plant(s): Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis.
Photo Story: These cheerful blooms were the sweetest sight on my first visit to the Chipman Preserve. I love how the blossoms look so cozy, like they are wrapped in a shawl or blanket.
Equipment: iphone7

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"Purple Prairie Clover" by Sherri Brom

Image ID: 6667
Plant(s): Purple Prairie Clover - Dalea Purpurea
Photo Story: I planted this clover this spring and was very excited that it grew so well and bloomed. I love it!
Equipment: Canon EOS Rebel SL1

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"ButterFly Weed Pods" by Sherri Brom

Image ID: 6668
Plant(s): Butterfly weed pods - Asclepias Tuberosa
Photo Story: 2nd year of my butterfly weed and I thought the pods were just beautiful
Equipment: Iphone XR Back camera 4.25 mm

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"Virginia Bluebells" by Kyla Muhammad

Image ID: 6679
Plant(s): Virginia Bluebells
Photo Story: This last spring, I participated in a bioblitz in the woods and was absolutely stunned by the striking beauty of the sea of Virginia bluebells that I saw that cascaded throughout the forest. I wanted to take a close up shot to show off the flowers' details.
Equipment: Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro phone camera.

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"Pawpaw Tree Flower" by Jennifer Kubicki

Image ID: 6696
Plant(s): Pawpaw Tree Flower ( Asimina triloba)
Photo Story: This was the first year I was able to get a photograph of the flower without using a telephoto lens as they really are about the size of a quarter or silver dollar at best. I'm happy to say that if the squirrels don't get them first, we should have some fruit this Autumn!
Equipment: Cannon D7 and Macro Lens

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"Lakeside Daisy" by Jennifer Kubicki

Image ID: 6697
Plant(s): Lakeside Daisy
Photo Story: LafargeHolcim Ltd. allowed volunteers from several seed saving groups to remove mature seed heads from their quarry near Marblehead, Ohio. The area was slated for mining limestone and all the plants in this area would have been forever removed. The seeds were then dried and transplanted to Kelly’s Island as a concerted effort to preserve this endangered flowering plant into a protected public location not far from its primary location. Several years earlier on June 29th 2012 a Duracho Storm hit Columbus hard, tearing down power lines to our neighborhood. The Electric Company employed a lot of large pieces of equipment to our next door neighbor's house that needed to be rewaired and the equipment crushed a sidewalk that was next to and attached to our home. I asked the contractors if they could removed the sidewalk and apply a bed of limestone screening, which was the perfect habitat for a handful of seeds I had saved at LaForge. The Lakeside Daisy has been happily and safely spreading in that rock garden ever since. From a distance one might think this is the non-native dandelion but if your really look at it up close, you can see this is clearly not dandelion.
Equipment: Note 9 - Android phone camera

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"Dancing Trilliums" by Barbara DeGraves

Image ID: 6700
Plant(s): Large-Flowered Trilliums (Trillium grandiflorum)
Photo Story: While visiting the Great Smoky Mountains, I photographed various spring wildflowers growing along a wooded hillside trail. These white trilliums growing by a fallen log stood out in the soft evening light. They were swaying in the slight breeze and made me think of dancing partners. Trilliums are propagated by ants.
Equipment: Canon 90D, 1/25 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 400, Canon Lens 35 mm Adobe Lightroom & Photoshop

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"Roadside Orchid" by Morgan Meador

Image ID: 6702
Plant(s): Orange Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris)
Photo Story: My family and I were driving back from visiting a prairie in Clark County, and we spotted this beauty on the way home! What a nice surprise!
Equipment: Canon Rebel

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"River Oats Ablaze" by Kyla Muhammad

Image ID: 6703
Plant(s): River oats
Photo Story: The lime-green color of these river oats added so much brightness to our rain garden and have such a lovely cascade of the oats, that I wanted to capture what a striking plant this is.
Equipment: Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro phone camera.

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"ShootingStar" by Renee Benage

Image ID: 6713
Plant(s): Shooting star (Primula meadia)
Photo Story: This photo was taken May 23 at the dedication of the Missouri Prairie Foundation's Schuette Prairie.
Equipment: Canon Power Shot SX70 HS

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"Fern" by Renee Benage

Image ID: 6715
Plant(s): Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
Photo Story: This photo was taken in April 2021 at Shaw Nature Reserve.
Equipment: Canon Power Shot SX70 HS

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"Captured" by David Pilcher

Image ID: 6721
Plant(s): Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper
Photo Story: Icy fence line
Equipment: Iphone

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"Great Blue lobelia buds" by Judy Mead

Image ID: 6756
Plant(s): Great blue lobelia --Lobelia siphilitica
Photo Story: I liked the abstract nature of this shot. I had to go back to the flower to see if it truly looked like the photo. It did! When the flowers open, they are buzzing with bees. The nectar held inside the buds is less accessible. It's fun watching the insects working their way into and out of the tubular flowers in search of the nectar while, unwittingly, performing pollinating services.
Equipment: iphone 6 camera

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"Woodland Wonder" by Nathalie Shanstrom

Image ID: 6760
Plant(s): Woodland Sunflower, Helianthus strumosus
Photo Story: Yellow flowers brightening our backyard
Equipment: mom's phone

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"PonderLand" by Mimi Hernandez

Image ID: 6763
Plant(s): Asclepias variegata White Milkweed Redwing Milkweed
Photo Story: I recently bought my first home with close to 4 acres in Western NC. I call the property the PonderLand. The PonderLand has a meadow, a forest, and a pond and my dream is to create native plant sanctuary. As I approach this dream, I have been welcoming the seasons and taking inventory of what native plant surprises pop up. I captured this striking photo during a walk along the forest edge at dusk.
Equipment: Iphone 11 pro

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"PonderLand Paintbrush" by Mimi Hernandez

Image ID: 6764
Plant(s): Lobelia cardinalis, the cardinal flower
Photo Story: I recently bought my first home with close to 4 acres in Western NC. I call the property the PonderLand. The PonderLand has a meadow, a forest, and a pond and my dream is to create native plant sanctuary. As I approach this dream, I have been welcoming the seasons and taking inventory of what native plant surprises pop up. When I first moved n the land was very manicured and mowed. I decided to stop mowing the edge of the pond to see what naturally arises. The pond edge has surprised me with an assortment of native plants! I captured this striking photo during a walk along the pond.
Equipment: Iphone 11 Pro

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"Strawberry Bush Fruit" by Jane Schaefer

Image ID: 6769
Plant(s): Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americanus)
Photo Story: I love the strawberry bush fruit and got this photo with my I Phone.
Equipment: I Phone

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"Dogwood-Sky" by Betty Struckhoff

Image ID: 6771
Plant(s): Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Photo Story: Walking through woods on a cloudy day my perspective changed by looking up.
Equipment: Canon Power Show

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"Colors By Nature" by Christie Ricketts

Image ID: 6773
Plant(s): Great Blue Lobelia, Cardinal Flower, Sweet Black Eyed Susan, Sneezeweed, Swamp Weed, Prairie Milkweed
Photo Story: Originally I didn't plant these flowers as they appear in the picture. After three years, however, the flowers have decided to plan their own garden.
Equipment: Motorola E5 Smart Phone

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"Iced Chokeberry" by Karen Ruffner

Image ID: 6775
Plant(s): Rime Ice on Chokeberries
Photo Story: Winter wonderland
Equipment: I phone

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"Bluebells and Woodland Phlox" by Ed Buchs

Image ID: 6777
Plant(s): Woodland Phlox - Phlox divaricata Virginia Bluebells - Mertensia Virginia
Photo Story: Spring ephemerals around may yard. Morning photo with humidity in the air and nice light from early morning sunlight.
Equipment: Canon 80d SLR Camera Tamron Lens

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"cardinal flower" by alba Tirado

Image ID: 6784
Plant(s): Lobelia cardinalis
Photo Story: Evening sun shining perfecly looked like it was lit up
Equipment: Phone camera

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"Evening Sunlight on Christmas Fern" by Abby Rexer

Image ID: 6791
Plant(s): Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides), Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata).
Photo Story: The early spring sun adds a golden color to the bright green fern, and the purple iris in the background add extra color.
Equipment: Canon EOS 2000D

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"Early Spring Bloodroot" by Abby Rexer

Image ID: 6792
Plant(s): Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis.
Photo Story: This bloodroot is planted in the native landscape of our backyard. I love all of the colors of the plant: the red stem, green leaves, white petals, and yellow center.
Equipment: Canon EOS 2000D; Pixelmator was used to shrink the file size.

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"Photo bombed by Bombus and side kick" by Janice Turner

Image ID: 6796
Plant(s): Woodland sunflower, Helianthus divircatus Bumble bee and unknow insect
Photo Story: I was taking a photo of the woodland sunflower when the bee landed on the flower. Later I noticed the other insect. I am resubmitting this because the first may not be in high definition.
Equipment: Iphone

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"Cardinal flower along Oswego Canal" by Richard Drosse

Image ID: 6806
Plant(s): Cardinal flower - Lobelia cardinalis
Photo Story: Hiking the towpath along the historical Oswego Canal we found a small group of Cardinal flowers growing along the embankment.
Equipment: Sony Cybershot

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"Cup plant bloom" by Cathy Streett

Image ID: 6810
Plant(s): Cup Plant Silphium perfoliatum
Photo Story: Cup Plants are happy in my back yard rain garden and have grown well over 15 feet. They bloom profusely all summer and bring in pollinators and seed eating birds especially gold finches. I love to watch the gold finch acrobatics among all the flowers. Their yellow plumage and the yellow flowers scream summer sunshine to me!
Equipment: Samsung Galaxy 5S cell phone

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"Purple Coneflower Power" by Cathy Streett

Image ID: 6814
Plant(s): Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea
Photo Story: July brings out the purple coneflower blooms near our deck for all to enjoy. Pollinators delight in this long lasting bloom and the seeds are left for gold finches to enjoy. They also are beautiful all winter creating a lovely interesting view out the window after a snowfall.
Equipment: Samsung Galaxy 5S cell phone

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"Rory-Williams-Culver's Root-2021" by Rory Williams

Image ID: 6822
Plant(s): Culver's Root, Veronicastrum virginicum. (On the flower is a Bombus bimaulatus which is a Two Spotted Bumblebee)
Photo Story: While removing invasives out of the SNA this Culver's Root was demanding to be photographed
Equipment: Canon Rebel Xti, Canon Zoom Lens EF 75-300mm

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"Spring Beauties of Calvert County" by Mollie King

Image ID: 6832
Plant(s): Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)
Photo Story: These little beauties are a lovely surprise in the Spring along woodland paths in southern Maryland.
Equipment: Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

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"Mayapple's Hidden Bloom" by Mollie King

Image ID: 6833
Plant(s): Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
Photo Story: Woodland walkers must bend low in the Spring to see the lovely blossoms of the Mayapple under its umbrella-like foliage.
Equipment: Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

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"Purple Coneflower and Slender Mountain Mint" by Beate Popkin

Image ID: 6840
Plant(s): Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Slender mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium), Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), Grey-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata)
Photo Story: The plants in this photo grow in a large pollinator garden bed surrounded by a curb in the parking lot at Wellington Park in Lexington. The Lexington chapter of Wild Ones established this garden in 2014 and has maintained it ever since with a dedicated group of volunteer helpers, all of whom are Wild Ones members. This is a sunny bed with mostly perennials and a few shrubs and grasses. The garden is located at the entrance of Wellington Park and greets all visitors.
Equipment: Canon Rebel EOS T1i

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"Columbine seed head" by Catherine McKenzie

Image ID: 6844
Plant(s): Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Photo Story: The delicate curves of this open Columbine seedhead caught my eye.
Equipment: Nikon d850 with 70-200

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"Meet Joe Pye" by Morgan Meador

Image ID: 6868
Plant(s): Sweet Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Photo Story: I had the privilege of visiting a remnant prairie in Illinois, and I definitely didn't take enough photos! It was the most diverse prairie I have visited so far!
Equipment: Canon Rebel

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"Spiderwort Buds" by Catherine McKenzie

Image ID: 6877
Plant(s): Ohio Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)
Photo Story: Spiderwort brings joy with its early blooming and delicate buds.
Equipment: Nikon D850 with 70-200 mm lens

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"Mountain Ball & Bee" by BRIAN RASMUSSEN

Image ID: 6880
Plant(s): Mountain Ball Cactus - Pediocactus simpsonii
Photo Story: The ball cactus is one of the first and brightest blooms of the season in the Montane Forests of the Front Range.
Equipment: Olympus TG-5

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"Milkweed Blooms" by Daniel Cruikshanks

Image ID: 6893
Plant(s): Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Photo Story: Recently I was hanging out in the garden shooting butterflies and took this shot of our milkweed bloom.
Equipment: Nikon D500 with Nikkor 60mm lens

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"The Art of Healthy Wetlands" by James Cudney

Image ID: 6903
Plant(s): Northern Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea
Photo Story: Northern Pitcher Plants, a carnivorous wetland native, I spotted while eliminating Cattail on a floating bog near the Illinois and Wisconsin border
Equipment: iPhone 8 Plus

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"Gentian Column" by James Cudney

Image ID: 6906
Plant(s): Bottle Gentian, Gentiana andrewsii
Photo Story: A column of Bottle Gentian, Gentiana andrewsii taken in a wet meadow environment
Equipment: iPhone 8 Plus

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"Shooting stars" by Jeanne Panka

Image ID: 6920
Plant(s): Shooting Star, Dodecatheon pulchellum
Photo Story: These shooting stars were volunteers to my garden when I planted a white Baneberrt plant.
Equipment: Sony Cybershot camera

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"Gary-Shackelford-Michigan-lilies-2021" by Gary Shackelford

Image ID: 6944
Plant(s): Michigan lily (Lilium michiganense), Virginia mountain-mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum)
Photo Story: Michigan lilies at the edge of a small pond. Virginia mountain-mint is also shown.
Equipment: Nikon D850, Nikon zoom telephoto lens

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"Gary-Shackelford-cream-wild-indigo-2021" by Gary Shackelford

Image ID: 6949
Plant(s): Cream wild indigo (Baptisia bracteata var. leucophaea)
Photo Story: Cream wild indigo in a planted prairie at Fair Meadows SNA
Equipment: Nikon D850, Nikon 200mm macro lens

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"Mountain Mint Attraction" by Noreen Kepple

Image ID: 6958
Plant(s): honey bees on mountain mint
Photo Story: It always amazes me what a wonderful native plant mountain mint is. Its flowers are simple, yet provide subtle color and much nectar to honey bees and native bees as well, This plan like a magnet attracting many different types of pollinators in the late summer and early fallt acts
Equipment: iphone camera

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"STRONGER THAN WINTER" by Susan Wagoner

Image ID: 6963
Plant(s): American Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
Photo Story: An ice storm did nothing to distract from the beauty of the November-blooming Witch Hazel.
Equipment: Canon EOS 7D - 100mm macro lens

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"BLOODROOT BEAUTY" by Susan Wagoner

Image ID: 6964
Plant(s): Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Photo Story: I love the early spring beauty of both the striking white flowers and the unusual leaves. (NOTE: I mistakenly submitted this under "Fauna with Flora"- please disregard that one and use this one. Thank you)
Equipment: Canon EOS 7D- 100mm macro lens.

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"Morning Milkweed" by Keren Pomp Fortier

Image ID: 6969
Plant(s): Common Milkweed
Photo Story: My morning chair faces a pond and much that lies between.
Equipment: iPhone

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"Little Shop of Beauties" by Gina Michels

Image ID: 6984
Plant(s): Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)
Photo Story: I was so pleased to determine that this volunteer in my garden was a native wildflower. I was hoping to take a picture of a visiting pollinator but became enchanted with the gaping mouths of the lovely little blooms.
Equipment: Canon 7D, 100 mm lens

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"Say "Ah"" by Gina Michels

Image ID: 6986
Plant(s): Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Photo Story: I planted several turtleheads just this year and had no idea how fascinating the blooms would be.
Equipment: Canon 7D, 100 mm lens

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"Wild Columbine & Golden Alexanders" by Elisa Zappacosta

Image ID: 6990
Plant(s): Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) and Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)
Photo Story: Wild Columbine and Golden Alexanders in the front entrance garden at our home NOTE: File was renamed as described below, but uploaded on the form with an earlier filename.
Equipment: iPhone SE

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"Aromatic Asters" by Elisa Zappacosta

Image ID: 6991
Plant(s): Aromatic Asters (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)
Photo Story: Aromatic Asters in my backyard garden last October
Equipment: iPhone SE

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"Ditch Fishing" by Tawnie Perkovich

Image ID: 6994
Plant(s): The yellow trout lily (Erythronium americanum).
Photo Story: On a lunchtime hike along the Ice Age/Ahnapee State Trail, I spotted a yellow trout lily, finally in bloom with it's dark red variation of anthers. I had to crawl into the ditch to get the perfect angle and was a few minutes late back to work, but it was worth it.
Equipment: Nikon 3400 with 18-140mm lens.

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"Monarda didyma" by Cheryl Lloyd

Image ID: 6999
Plant(s): "Oswego Tea"/Red Beebalm...Monarda didyma
Photo Story: I purchased Monarda didyma at our Spring 2021, Habitat Gardening of CNY Native Plant Sale anxious to see who might visit. It did not disappoint, attracting hungry, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and long-tongued Bumble Bees. A close look at the lovely flowers reveals long tubes perfectly suited to such pollinators.
Equipment: Nikon D750 with 500mm lens.

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"Beautiful Blue Gentian" by Ruth Hilfiker

Image ID: 7003
Plant(s): Blue Bottle Gentian, Gentiana andrewsii.
Photo Story: The Blue Bottle Gentian started to (Gentiana andrewsii) bloom in late August the second year after planting in my 18 ft x 34 ft raingarden. Bumble bees are the main pollinators of this native flower as they pry open the closed flowers. It's amazing iridescent color and balloon like flowers make it a fun flower to gaze at.
Equipment: iphone 7

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"Dance of the Culver's Root" by Ruth Hilfiker

Image ID: 7004
Plant(s): Focus: Culver's Root, Veronicastrum virginicum; Background: Swamp milkweed, Asclepias incarnata; Compass Plant, Silphium laciniatum
Photo Story: The graceful spikes of the Culver's root with its tiny wide flowers created a wonderful accent in my 10 ft x 28 ft raingarden. It is part of a mini-ecosystem I created in my front yard. I made an effort to have a diversity of plant heights in the raingarden for bees, butterflies, and song birds.
Equipment: iphone 7

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"Helenium autumnale" by Cheryl Lloyd

Image ID: 7010
Plant(s): "Dogtooth Daisy"/"Sneezeweed"... Helenium autumnale
Photo Story: This towering beauty attracts many native bee species in my garden as well as an occasional butterfly. Its bright yellow flowers are always buzzing.
Equipment: Nikon D750 with 500mm lens.

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"Great Coneflower" by Donnie Bryan

Image ID: 7034
Plant(s): Great Coneflower - Rudbeckia maxima
Photo Story: I especially enjoyed the beautiful organic shape of this coneflower played against the woodland background.
Equipment: iPhone 7

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"Hidden Bunny" by Jessica Schrishuhn

Image ID: 7033
Plant(s): Dotted Mint (Monarda punctata)
Photo Story: In Chicago, it can be rare to see animal diversity beyond the all-too-frequent rodent visitors. This Dotted Mint sprawled over one patch of our garden and created a nice hiding spot for our very first bunny. We were thrilled (and so was our dog!)
Equipment: Google Pixel

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"First Pink" by Jessica Schrishuhn

Image ID: 7035
Plant(s): Rock Pink (Phemeranthus calycinus)
Photo Story: Rock Pink was one of the earliest native plants to bloom in our new garden. Certainly the showiest. It's a surprising little succulent groundcover that looks like it belongs in the desert but somehow flourishes in Midwestern clay soil.
Equipment: Google Pixel

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"Liverwort" by David Silsbee

Image ID: 7042
Plant(s): Liverwort (Marchantia Polymorpha)
Photo Story: I love the mini-landscapes that appear through a macro lens. The liverwort provides a disorienting combination of flowing glaciers and palm trees, all within the confines of about one square inch.
Equipment: Canon 5D Mark IV, 65 mm Macro Lens, Twin-Lite Flash

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"Mountain Laurel Blossom" by David Silsbee

Image ID: 7046
Plant(s): Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Photo Story: The shape of mountain laurel flowers is enchanting, but difficult to capture in detail because they are so 3-dimensional. The focus-stacking I used in this picture gives the depth-of-field needed to capture the arching stamens and shape of the corolla.
Equipment: Canon 5D Mark IV, 65 mm Macro Lens, Twin-Lite Flash. Focus-Stack Composite of Multiple Images.

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"Indian Grass" by Karen Eckman

Image ID: 7053
Plant(s): Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Photo Story: This grass appears in many places in the Crow-hassan Park Reserve - a restored native prairie in the Three Rivers Park system in Hennepin County, Minnesota. My friends and I enjoy this beautiful place, walking the trails. It's fun to take close-ups of the flowers you normally miss on grass.
Equipment: Olympus E-M5 Mark II Lens: Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45 mm F 2.8 Asph.M

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"Brenda Adams Prickly pear 2021" by Brenda Adams

Image ID: 7063
Plant(s): Opuntia compressa common name: prickly pear cactus
Photo Story: Prickly pear blooming beside my driveway on a beautiful spring morning.
Equipment: Canon EOS Rebel T6i

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"Spiderwort" by Karen Eckman

Image ID: 7067
Plant(s): Spiderwort (Tradescantia occidentalis)
Photo Story: The light was just right on this Spiderwort blossom on a mid-June morning in 2020. When the Spiderwort blooms only in the mornings, you have to shoot when you can. This plant grows along the "dry" creek bed leading to my rain gardens.
Equipment: Olympus E-M5 Mark II Lens: Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm F2.8 Asph.M

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"Queen" by Troy Waldschmidt

Image ID: 7069
Plant(s): Queen-of-the-Prairie (Filipendula rubra)
Photo Story: During a workday in the prairie,I was able to finally catch the Queen starting to bloom.
Equipment: Canon PowerShot pocket camera

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"Brenda Adams Enjoying the poppies and bluebells 2021" by Brenda Adams

Image ID: 7075
Plant(s): Stylophorum diphyllum, common name: celandine poppy Mertensia virginica, common name: Virginia bluebells
Photo Story: The poppies and bluebells have been spreading and taking over the area by 'Tyler', the statue. Couldn't resist taking a photo of Tyler enjoying the poppies and bluebells
Equipment: Canon EOS Rebel T6i

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"Prairie Smoke" by Leanne Phinney

Image ID: 7077
Plant(s): Prairie Smoke (Geum Triflorum)
Photo Story: This photo was taken at one of our chapter's native plant projects - at the Island Lake Elementary School in Shoreview MN.
Equipment: Panasonic Lumix FZ300

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"Pasqueflower" by Leanne Phinney

Image ID: 7079
Plant(s): American Pasqueflower (Anemone patens)
Photo Story: During one of our chapter's nature walks this spring at Wargo Nature Center, one of the center's employees (who is also our chapter's vice president) pointed out this lone pasqueflower that had recently been discovered at the center. I thought it was beautiful and took a photo of it.
Equipment: Panasonic Lumix FZ300

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"Lazy Susan" by Julie White

Image ID: 7094
Plant(s): Black Eyed Susan (rudbeckia hirta)
Photo Story: the light shown down on the black eyed susan. It looked so dainty.
Equipment: Nikon D7500 f/5.3 1/250 195.00 ISO1100

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